


We Are Here

by shinosnipslip



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Gen, idk - Freeform, srry fam, t'was in an angsty mood and hhhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 09:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17846708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinosnipslip/pseuds/shinosnipslip
Summary: Landing in the Fade, Gaius lives a life where, to him, it's perfect, only until he knows its false. While back at the camp, he and Alistair have a discussion about what had happened - both in the Fade and before Gaius even joined the Wardens.





	We Are Here

_“Fergus!” Gaius’ voice echoed. Ser Gilmore was by Gaius' side, following him with a smile into the hall._

_“Little brother!” Fergus shouted, his voice carrying throughout the halls of Castle Cousland. “Welcome home! I’m assuming your hunting party went well?”_

_“It has, and there was a rather large bounty this time!” Gaius’ lips turned up into a smile, quick to accept his brother’s welcome._

_“Welcome home, dear brother!” Oriana said, her voice as cheerful as ever. “I trust Oren had a nice time?”_

_“He did,” Gaius hugged his sister-in-law. “Not to worry, Oriana, Oren wasn’t hurt. He was more amazed by my bow than he was with the actual hunting part.” He laughed._

_“Mother, mother!” Oren, as if saying his name was a summoning, ran in, holding up a rabbit he had caught and befriended from…_ Wait… _“Look at what Uncle Gaius let me keep!”_

_There was a certain pride welling up in Gaius’ chest at being called ‘Uncle’._

_“Oh, Gaius.” Fergus ushered him to the table. “Lady Delilah asked after you earlier today. I told her you would be around later this evening.”_

_“Where is she now?” Gaius sat, talking into his mug. His armour felt uneven on him, felt… Off. Like it didn’t belong on him. Removing his lips from the rim of the mug and looking down, he realised he wasn’t wearing the… armour he was… just wearing? He could have sworn… “Wait…” Gaius looked around. The door to the dining hall looked as if there were a thick mist around it, blocking anyone from getting in._

_“What is it, little brother?” Fergus asked, taking a bite of the meat set in front of him._

_“Something just… Doesn’t feel right.”_

_“Ah, you’ll feel better after a few drinks.” Fergus was quick to dismiss the bells going off in Gaius’ head._

_“Mother! I’m done! I’m going upstairs now!” Oren’s voice cut in, breaking Gaius’ ruminations._

_“Dear wife, why don’t you go with him? I have a few things I need to talk about with Gaius.”_

_“Of course, Fergus.” Her voice quickly became animated, rehearsed. Something certainly was not right._

_“Now,” Fergus stood, his dinner practically untouched. He walked around the edge of the table, gesturing to Gaius to follow him. “You look pale, brother, are you alright?”_

_“Where’s Alistair?” Gaius had just remembered his friend’s name._

_“Alistair…” Fergus mumbled, trying to figure out who he was talking about._

_“I… Don’t know his last name, but he was with me. We were…” He halted, confronting that fog in his mind once more. It was thick and dense, pushing him back._

_“Were what, Gaius?” His brother urged him to finish his sentence. “Mother and Father are waiting for us in their estate, we can’t take too long.”_

_“There was a tower…” Gaius pushed through the fog, unwilling to give up. The sudden realisation left his spirits crushed. This wasn’t real. It was just a dream. Fergus was missing; Oren, Oriana, Mother and Father were killed. This was all false. Gaius clenched his jaw so tight he feared his teeth would break. His eyes shut tight, remembering the pain of losing his whole family all over again, picturing the flames rising high over the castle. “Oh, I wish you were real, brother…” His voice cracked._

_“What are you talking about? This is real.” ‘Fergus’ was understandably confused. He punched Gaius’ shoulder. “Feel that?”_ No. _“You’re real, I’m real, this is all real.”_

_“You’re trying so desperately hard… I admire you for it… But I know my family is dead… I know my brother is missing…” Gaius muttered, his voice dark and broken. Tears fell freely from his eyes, his hands quick to thrust a blade into his ‘brother’s’ stomach. The gasp falling from this illusion’s mouth dug the metaphorical blade deeper into Gaius’ heart. “I’m sorry.” He looked into the illusion’s eyes._

_“But… We’re family…” ‘Fergus’ groaned, gripping tightly onto Gaius’ arm. “You… traitor…”_

_“No.” Was the single thing that fell from Gaius’ lips as the illusion was shattered. “I’ll find you. The_ real _you, Fergus.”_

*           *           *

“How did you know to find us?” Alistair asked a distracted Gaius. The air was surprisingly clear for Ferelden.

“What…? Oh. I, uh… I broke free of my own illusion and talked with another dreamer that was there.” Gaius gave as clear an answer as he possibly could. The clay bowl from dinner made clinking sounds as Gaius placed it next to the fire. “You ever wonder what it would be like if you just… Stayed in the Fade…? Wondering how happy you could be with your loved ones…?”

“Where are you going with this, Gaius?” Alistair leaned back, hands pressed against the wet grass.

“Exactly what I’m proposing. If I were killed in the real world, and my mind was still in the Fade, would I still be able to be with them…?”

Alistair let out a deep sigh. “You saw how content I was, you know who the rest of us were with. We never saw yours.” Alistair waited until Gaius was looking at him to continue. “Who did you see?”

Tears threatened to fall again.  _Damn it, Gaius, you’ve cried enough!_ “I saw my family. I saw my brother, my sister-in-law, my nephew… I saw all the guards, I saw Ser Gilmore. Mother and father were still alive, the castle…” His voice cracked. “They were all alive, Alistair.” Gaius let loose a shaky breath.  _Don’t cry._

Alistair’s breaths were deep, placing a hand on his friend’s back. “You’ll get through this. It might seem difficult right now, maybe even bloody impossible, but you’re strong. You’re going to get through this, and you’re going to find Fergus.”

“I can still hear their screams… I can picture Oren and Oriana’s faces clear as day… Alistair, moving on seems an impossible task.” Gaius confessed. “I don’t think I can.”

“Yes, you can, Gaius. You’ll be able to.” Alistair moved so he was directly facing his friend. “You saved the rest of us, you can save yourself. This brain of yours will find a way so that you can move on.” Alistair said, poking at Gaius’ forehead. His hand moved to Gaius’ chest. “They’re all in here, they’re not gone permanently. You  _can_  move on, and it’s entirely possible.”

By now, the tears Gaius had tried so hard to hold back were falling freely, feeling his head pressed against Alistair’s shoulder. He was thankful he didn’t have his armour on, settling instead with a simple silk shirt and slacks. His sobs were muffled into his friend’s shoulder. He felt pathetic, crying like this.

“You haven’t gotten a single word of thanks or congratulations since your Joining.” Alistair’s voice rumbled through his whole body, his arms around Gaius, holding his friend as he cried. “Just fighting, death, and tragedy. If you ever need to talk, if you ever feel yourself starting to fall,” Alistair pushed Gaius off his shoulder as gently as possible, holding him steady by the shoulders. “We’re here to help you get back up. We’re here to support you. Don’t ever forget that, Gaius.”

Gaius couldn’t be more thankful to have Alistair in his life.


End file.
